culinary muscari - on topic

David Ehrlich idavide@sbcglobal.net
Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:19:01 PST
I knew that cipollini were not Alliums, but I didn't know they were Muscari.  I find them unpleasantly bitter.  But, marinated in balsamic sounds interesting.  Also lurking in the back of my mind is the fear that Amaryllids might be poisonous.




________________________________
From: Diane Whitehead <voltaire@islandnet.com>
To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2009 11:52:16 AM
Subject: [pbs] culinary muscari - on topic

Yesterday I was served some "balsamic onions" which were muscari  
bulbs.  They tasted good.

Muscari multiply faster than shallots do in my garden, so I googled to  
see if I am growing the edible ones.

They are from Italy, called cipollini, and are Muscari comosum.    
Cornucopia II says that M. comosum is really Leopoldia comosa, tassel  
hyacinth, and that it is also eaten in Greece.  Wild bulbs are  
preferred to cultivated ones.    I'm not growing that one.

However, Cornucopia also says that Muscari botryoides flowers and  
flower buds can be pickled in vinegar, and Muscari neglectum (syn M.  
racemosum) have wonderfully scented flowers that are delicious  
sprinkled over stewed rhubarb.  That sounds interesting.  M. neglectum  
bulbs are also eaten, but no details are given.

Now, what Muscari is it that spreads itself all through my vegetable  
garden?  I've been weeding them out because I didn't want to mistake  
them for something edible.

Do any of you eat your excess Muscari bulbs?


Diane Whitehead
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
maritime zone 8, cool Mediterranean climate
mild rainy winters, mild dry summers



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